MOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. Some Western countries are seeking to keep blogger Alexey Navalny on the news agenda in order to influence the State Duma election campaign, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a report marking one year since the Navalny saga began.

"Some western states directly, as well as with the use of information resources under control and systemic media are consistently using Navalny and his entourage to build the image of the organizational center of the democratic protest movement in Russia," the ministry said.

"Respective public comments are voiced on a regular basis by the governments and foreign ministries of various NATO countries, whose press services readily take up the bogus stories from ‘the team’ of the blogger, seeking to keep his person on the news agenda of the Russian Federation and abroad with this support," it said. This is done "with an aim of meddling in domestic affairs of our country, including to influence" the Duma election campaign, the document said.